24 finalists for EY Entrepreneur of the Year Ireland 2026 have been revealed with shortlisted founders spanning consumer, tech, health and construction sectors.
Ireland’s entrepreneurial landscape is being celebrated with the unveiling of the 24 finalists for the EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2026 awards.
The finalists, drawn from across the island, collectively employ more than 3,000 people and generate close to €1bn on annual revenues.
“They push boundaries, they take risks and they create the conditions for Ireland to thrive in a volatile world”
This year’s finalists represent a diverse range of sectors, including consumer, technology, health and construction, as well as varied growth stages and entrepreneurial stories that reflect the continued strength and resilience of Ireland’s entrepreneurship landscape.
The finalists have been shortlisted across three categories – Emerging, Established and International – with each category featuring eight entrepreneurs who have demonstrated exceptional vision, leadership and impact within their industries and communities.
Celebrating 29 years of entrepreneurship
The 2026 programme marks the 29th year of EY Entrepreneur Of The Year in Ireland. Since its inception, the programme has recognised and supported more than 680 entrepreneurs, creating a powerful all island community known for its collaboration and peer to peer learning.#
“Entrepreneurship in 2026 looks very different to even a few years ago,” said Roger Wallace, Head of Assurance & EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Ireland.
He said that this year’s programme shines a light on the people driving Ireland’s innovation and growth at a time of heightened geopolitical instability and economic vulnerability. Across the world, businesses are navigating rapid change, supply chain disruption and shifting global markets, making the role of entrepreneurs more important than ever.
“We are operating in a world shaped by geopolitical instability, rapid advances in AI and a level of economic uncertainty that demands creativity as much as resilience. Our finalists this year have not only adapted to this environment, but are shaping it.
“The 2026 cohort brings together entrepreneurs who are rethinking the possibilities of technology, from building standout consumer brands and advancing health and life‑sciences innovation, to delivering smarter construction and infrastructure solutions and creating entirely new business models from the ground up. They are creating jobs, solving complex challenges and opening doors to opportunities that did not exist before.”
Over the coming months, the 24 finalists will participate in the CEO Retreat, which this year takes place in Canada, designed to support strategic thinking and shared learning opportunities. They will engage in executive education, mentoring and networking with the EOY alumni community.
“The ingenuity and ambition we see across these 24 finalists reminds us why backing entrepreneurs matters now more than ever,” Wallace said.
“They push boundaries, they take risks and they create the conditions for Ireland to thrive in a volatile world. I am genuinely excited to welcome them into the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year community and to support their journeys in the months ahead.”
The 2026 EY Entrepreneur Of The Year finalists
| Emerging | Established | International |
| Aoife Matthews, Jennifer O’Connell & Louise O’Riordan of SISTERLY | Tommy Kearns of Xtremepush | Brian Moloney of StormHarvester |
| Bobby Healy of Manna Air Delivery | John Corley of Spanish Point Technologies | Chris Horgan of Dexgreen |
| Brian Shields of Neurent Medical | John Lunn of Lunn’s | David Brennan of Eastgate Engineering |
| Danny Buckley of ADHDNow | Karl Zimmerer of Glanua | Dermot O’Shea of Taoglas |
| Dr Harriet Tracey of Beyondbmi | Oltian Dervishi of Forte Pespa | Ian Morgan and Sanjay Abraham of XPress Healthcare Ltd |
| Jennifer Rock of skingredients Ltd | Paul Vallely & Clare Walsh of Kukoon | Maire Claire Reid of TST Group |
| Laura McCarthy of Drink Botanicals Ireland | Robin Jones of Golden Bake | Paul, Gary & Mike Martin of Martin Group |
| Liam Kearney of The Revive Group | Trevor Casey of EPH Controls | Ronan & Conor Burke of Inscribe |
This year’s finalists have been shortlisted by an independent judging panel of previous winners, chaired by Harry Hughes, CEO of Portwest and chair of the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year (EOY) Judging Panel who commented:
“This year’s judging process reminded us just how rapidly the world is changing for entrepreneurs and the environment they are operating in that has changed even in the past 18 months alone.
“Selecting just 24 finalists was an exceptionally difficult task. The entrepreneurs we met represent both long‑established sectors and fast‑emerging fields, but all of them are reshaping their industries with new ideas and new ways of working, and are turning challenges into opportunity.
“I am delighted to congratulate the 2026 finalists and welcome them into the EOY community. An invaluable experience now awaits them, one that will challenge, inspire and connect them with peers who are equally committed to shaping Ireland’s future in an unpredictable world.”
The EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Ireland programme is supported by Premium Corporate Partner Julius Baer, and Government partners Enterprise Ireland and Invest Northern Ireland.
Top image: Eimear McCrann, Director EY Entrepreneur Of The Year & EY Private; Bobby Healy, Manna Air Delivery; Jennifer Rock, Skingredients Ltd; and Roger Wallace, Head of Assurance & EY Entrepreneur of The Year Ireland. Photo:Naoise Culhane
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